Ray Pollett, im calling you out!

Originally posted by AW2EOD
Ray:

Thanks! Best advice I've heard as of yet. With the Dog Faced, wouldnt he eat pretty much all of the detrivores? I have a 30 gal. freshwater set up with an African Pig Faced/Arrowhead Puffer in it. Every time I put a snail, shrimp, etc, in the tank, they're immediately eaten. Is it the same way with salt water puffers? Would you recommend any type of eel to go with the puffer? I was wanting either a Snowflake or some kind of small shark (i.e. Banded Cat Shark, Bamboo, etc.)? Last question...what would you recommend for filtration? I have 3 Whisper 60s that my LFS said would be fine and that I should add a few power heads. Do you think I'll need a protein skimmer, etc?

I know very little about puffers. I rarely have had any. The problem is some people say they are like Boxfish/cowfish in that they can release toxins when stressed or they die. My customers do no want to take that chance, so they do not choose them for their tanks. If they can release toxins like Cowfish; we know that fresh activated carbon can remove it. I therefore would have two filters with carbon. I would clean one and replace the carbon every two weeks. If done in rotation that would be cheap insurance.

I personally do not believe there is any shark that can be housed properly in a tank below about 1,000 gallons. They all grow too big for a 150 very quickly.

Eels are great but need a special set up as they are escape artist. They can and do get out very small openings in tanks. They love to explore at night. Plus you would need a LR pile for the eel to live in and feel safe. The same with puffers, they need cover.

As to clean up crew, yes the puffers may eat them. But I would still add the detrivores before the fish and let them multiply for 3-4 weeks before any fish go in. They can help a lot and provide live food. I would definitely use Live Sand, as puffers like to blow sand looking for food. They also need to be feed less than most people feed them. But they need algae in their diet along with hard foods like snails crabs and mussels in their shells. Puffers have teeth that never stop growing and need the shell animals to help wear down these teeth.

As to tank mates, I hope someone with more experience with puffers will correct me If I'm wrong. I would think a Rabbitfish( remember they have venomous spines), Tangs, Butterflyfish, and some of the wrasse like the luna wrasse - Thalassoma lunare. might be good tank mates.

The books all reccomend protein skimmers for these fish, however I've seen them kept without one. If you change your filter media regularly and do your water changes; I see no reason you can't keep one healthy without a skimmer.

Best Wishes,
ray
 
Once again, THANKS! I hope to set up the 150 in the next week and start the cycle. I think I've decided on a Dog Faced Puffer, a Sailfin Tang, and perhaps a Snowflake Eel, once I get the tank eel escape proof. Also..probably a minumun of 100lbs. live rock and 3" bed of live sand.
 
Originally posted by AW2EOD
Once again, THANKS! I hope to set up the 150 in the next week and start the cycle. I think I've decided on a Dog Faced Puffer, a Sailfin Tang, and perhaps a Snowflake Eel, once I get the tank eel escape proof. Also..probably a minumun of 100lbs. live rock and 3" bed of live sand.

Sounds like a great tank starting up. Keep us updated.

Best Wishes,
ray
 
Hi Ray. Back again. No I don't mind changing 5 gallons of water a week - I do roughly that now.
I've had a small 4 cms bicolor for about 6 weeks now as a note and he seems pretty good to me after 4 weeks QT and 2 weeks in display. I would note that he's fattened up but I still haven't seen him feed out of the water column, only picking at LR.
Yes, I like kleiniis a lot.
I didn't think the xanthurus got that big. I thought 6, 7 inches tops. I think you're right, too big for a 55 though
 
Originally posted by wayne
Hi Ray. Back again. No I don't mind changing 5 gallons of water a week - I do roughly that now.
I've had a small 4 cms bicolor for about 6 weeks now as a note and he seems pretty good to me after 4 weeks QT and 2 weeks in display. I would note that he's fattened up but I still haven't seen him feed out of the water column, only picking at LR.
Yes, I like kleiniis a lot.
I didn't think the xanthurus got that big. I thought 6, 7 inches tops. I think you're right, too big for a 55 though

Hi Wayne,

I can see from my post how the water change could be misunderstood. I was trying to say 3 buckets of 5 gallons each a week. If so I can show you how to set up a tank that will work for what you say you want. It is rather cheap, comparetively; But most on here will scream not to do it. I've kept one like this for 3 years in a restaurant. It has worked for me. It has 1 maroon clownfish, 1 Sunrise Dottyback, 1 Neon Dottyback, 1 Starry Blenny and one Yellow tang ( not reccomended but the owners put one in anyway). It has a CBS and assorted snails and Crabs. Tons of detrivores. 58 pounds of LR.

Ray
 
OK, so 5 gallons 3 times a week. That always helps. Well I've kept discus, so I can settle for 5 gallons twice a week, 3 is just a little too much. Is a centropyge still possible?
What's the setup of the restaurant tank. How does it look. I have some (positive) suspicions, but want to hear your opinion first.
 
Originally posted by wayne
OK, so 5 gallons 3 times a week. That always helps. Well I've kept discus, so I can settle for 5 gallons twice a week, 3 is just a little too much. Is a centropyge still possible?
What's the setup of the restaurant tank. How does it look. I have some (positive) suspicions, but want to hear your opinion first.

It's an UGF with 4 inches of Crushed Coral and 58 pounds of LR. The UGF is powered by 2 penguin 1140 powerheads. It has an air pump and Aqua Fizzz air stone under the Crushed Coral and LR centered in the tank. Yes, the Centropyge sp is possible. The key in my opinion is to have a lot of detrivores with this type of setup. ( was done because it can be seen from all sides and they did not want filters hanging on it and had no good place for canister filters; which I hate. Tank stays amazingly clean. This tank may be a little larger than a 55. I'll have to measure it some day.

Ray

75 gallon #1 -1.jpg
 
I was over at Reef Frontiers a while back, and saw your gallery. I hoped you would post this picture over here. That anemone is beautiful.
 
AquariaCentral.com